


I've Got You Brother

by The_Winter_Writer



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: "enemies" with benefits, (i know that was a cheesy line but i couldn't really help myself and it's late), (really weak denial if we're all honest with ourselves and Tony isn't), Adopted Sibling Relationship, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And so does Loki, Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers (2012), Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Lovers, Feelings, Fluff, Kid Thor, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, M/M, Magic, Protective Loki (Marvel), Secret Relationship, Sibling Love, Thor loves his brother, Tony Stark & Thor Friendship, Tony Stark Has A Heart, basically referencing, de-aged Thor, mentioned smut, so much divergence from canon, tony...denial isn't just a river in egypt...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 02:15:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14250891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Winter_Writer/pseuds/The_Winter_Writer
Summary: Despite the whole enemies-with-benefits thing they had going on Tony wasn’t quite sure how Loki was going to feel about the small problem taking up space in his penthouse but Loki was the only one he could actually contact. After all there was only so long Tony could keep a mini Thunder God occupied before he started insisting that he see his family.





	I've Got You Brother

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a bingo square fic and it wasn't even on my 'Currently Writing' list because I suck at sticking to a writing plan. I'm blaming two really good Loki and Thor videos on YT focusing on their sibling dynamic with the amazing song. The title of this fic is actually borrowed from the lyrics of the song in both videos, Brother by Kodaline, and I'll be upfront that the largest portion of this is not focused around the FrostIron pairing.
> 
> I'll do a more "proper" FrostIron fic soon. I swear I will but I ended up side tracked by sibling bonds and this happened.

Tony was not relishing Loki’s reaction. He really, really wasn’t. Of all the possible problems, of all the possible things that could have happened, Thor had to find himself deaged and in Tony’s care. On top of everything little Thunderstruck was ridiculously adorable and feisty as fuck.

The threat of attachment was imminent.

He might have it easier than the rest of the Avengers, fuck-enemies came with advantages when he was letting Loki routinely fuck him into the mattress, but this might be the thing that pushed Loki too far.

Tony _knew_ he was amazing in bed but great sex wasn’t going to save him if Loki snapped and a small, excitable Thor could possibly be it.

_Please please please don’t let Loki snap._

“Don’t worry, Sparky, your brother is going to show up.”

Excited big blue eyes regarded him, it had taken quite a bit to calm the little god down when he realized he wasn’t on Asgard, and Tony desperately hoped that Loki would curb his tongue around tiny Thor. At least explaining that he was _Loki’s friend_ had bought him precious time. Knowing quite a bit about Loki had also come in handy to back up his claim.

The past few hours had been Thor going on and on about his brother after he’d exhausted talking about himself. How amazing Loki was, how he was learning magic and how Thor _knew_ that Loki was going to be the greatest sorcerer in all the Nine. Tony had listened as Thor told him about all the ways that Loki and he were going to fight side by side, having each other’s backs and leading their Realm towards prosperity, all the while wondering if Loki _knew_.

_Does Loki have any idea how much Thor **loves** him?_

A flash of green was the only warning Tony received as Loki materialized right in the penthouse. He could practically feel Thor vibrating with excitement next to him, rocking on his feet and bouncing in a display of zero restraint, as he stared avidly at the place where Loki had just appeared.

It was more than obvious that despite the older appearance that Thor knew the adult appearing in the penthouse was Loki.

Tony couldn’t have hoped to stop the little god before he was bolting across the distance separating them and launching himself at his brother. The only warning Loki received for the incoming blond missile was Thor’s, “ _Loki!_ ”

Green eyes widened in shock as Thor’s feet left the ground and he slammed into Loki with a laugh of absolute delight. Tony was pretty sure if Thor, no matter how miniaturized he was now, had hit him like that he’d have gone down.

He could see how Thor shoved his face against his brother, arms wrapped around him tightly, while Loki’s face was completely open for Tony to observe. There was shock, pain and a kind of heartbreaking _love_ that he hadn’t been able to conceal. That last emotion was impossible to mistake and no matter how hard Loki tried to hide it, no matter how he snarled and insulted each time Thor appeared before him, the love he felt for Thor filled the very core of him.

 _It must hurt,_ Tony thought as he watched, _to force yourself to appear as though you hate someone that you love so deeply._

Tony was pretty sure there could be no Loki without Thor and no Thor without Loki. Their existence was so tightly entwined that Tony knew they couldn’t possibly be separated. He wasn’t going to say that out loud. The last time he’d said _anything_ along those lines Loki had spitefully turned him into a fluffy black kitten and Tony had spent two weeks in the Chaos God’s high end apartment as a pet wearing a hot pink collar with an annoying bell.

The tag had read:  **Property of Loki**

He’d hated how he had melted each time Loki stroked long, talented fingers along his spine and scratched just right behind his ears. To add insult to the whole thing he’d woken in his bed, human again, completely rested and refreshed.

In retaliation Tony had turned Loki away from his bed for two weeks before he’d given in and spent nearly three days with Loki between his legs. He’d had to explain the limp as a workshop accident and then he’d spent over an hour listening to Steve lecture him about workshop safety.

Silently he turned his full attention to the sight before him. Loki’s hands had curled at Thor’s waist and he was holding his now little brother a short distance from his chest all the while staring at Thor in what was now muted shock. The position hadn’t stopped Thor from gripping onto leather and green material as he grinned in delight.

“You’re so big now, Loki!”

Loki’s mouth had dropped open as his eyes took in Thor’s younger self, realizing that Thor’s mind had also deaged, and it still hadn’t closed. At least _now_ Tony knew exactly what it took to shock Loki. He couldn’t recall ever seeing that expression on Loki’s face and he’d tried all kinds of scandalous things by this point.

“And you can use magic to travel now! I told you that you would be able to do it.” He patted Loki’s face in a move that would eventually evolve into the familiar grip of Thor’s hand at the nape of Loki’s neck and continued lavishing praise on his brother. He commented on how bright and consuming Loki’s magic felt, how big Loki had gotten and then he carried on jabbering about all the things he’d gotten into in Tony’s Tower.

It seemed to take forever for Thor to run out of steam and when he finished he simply stared at Loki with expectancy in his gaze.

“Anthony has taken good care of you?”

Thor turned to him, happiness still very much filling his features, as he grinned at Tony and turned back to Loki. “Of course!” he nodded and seemed to melt into Loki when his brother pulled him back so he was no longer held out from Loki’s chest. Without taking a moment to pause Thor latched right back on as though it was the most natural thing to hold onto his brother.

Tony had already noticed how tactile little Thor was and, based on his stories, it wasn’t a surprise that it extended to Loki effortlessly regardless of his age. It was interesting that Loki seemed to naturally accept it.

“He told me that he is one of your friends.”

Loki’s eyes flicked over to him. It felt like he was staring into Tony’s soul before he focused back on the enthusiastic little Thunder God in his grasp. “He is.” He conceded with a small quirk of his lips. There was amusement and mischief in his eyes but he seemed to rein it in as Thor opened his mouth.

_Shouldn’t mini Thor pause for air?_

“Is he a Prince too? Of Midgard?” Thor asked as his eyes took in the huge room they were currently standing in. Tony had already shown him much of the Tower and, upon Thor’s inquiries, Tony had shown Thor several of his other homes and explained his business as best he could since the boy had been curious about Earth. Thor had then described the palace in Asgard and several of the other Realms he’d been able to travel to. “He told me this whole Tower belongs to him and he showed me his armory.”

“Anthony is the closest Midgard has to royalty and he is one of his Realm’s greatest warriors. He is an honorable man.”

Now Tony was being treated to a look of admiration and interest even as warmth unexpectedly bloomed in his chest at the compliments. The look Thor had just given him was nothing on the wide-eyed stare that Thor had given his armors and his workshop when he’d taken the kid down there to distract him from asking after his parents. Tony really, really didn’t want to deal with Odin or Frigga. He really didn’t want that especially considering one of their sons, no matter how Loki protested that he had no family, regularly fucked him into the mattress and when he wasn’t doing that Loki was running amok on Earth. There were some questions he didn’t want to have to answer and Thor’s deaging was only one thing on a long list.

“Oh!” Thor sounded like he’d had some kind of epiphany. “Is he your Consort?”

Tony quickly adverted his eyes as though he hadn’t heard Thor’s enthusiastic question and made it look as though he was glancing out the windows. That didn’t mean he couldn’t _feel_ the burning heat of Loki’s eyes on him as he focused on anything but the two talking.

Somehow he didn’t think Loki was going to explain that they were enemies with very pleasurable benefits. That would only prompt more questions and no matter the amount of mischief that might provide Tony was secure in the knowledge that there were some things that Loki wouldn’t want to talk about with Thor.

Fucking his teammate was probably pretty high on that list.

He dropped into a nearby chair and let the excited chatter followed by the soft, silky responses drift over him as he reviewed the footage from the fight. Thor had been hit by something purple, it had _looked_ like magic but considering the shit that seemed to happen with increasing frequency it could have been anything, before Tony had ended up with a deaged Asgardian.

“ _What happened_?”

Tony tensed and turned to look over the back of his chair at the looming God of Mischief. Thor was asleep in his arms and Tony couldn’t stop the raised eyebrow at the sight. It was unfairly adorable.

_He’s good with kids. Why the fuck is that ridiculously attractive?_

That was a mental path Tony was not going to venture down. _Loki enemy. Bad, Tony, bad. Just because he’s got a sleeping kid, who is also your fucking teammate, in his arms doesn’t mean you should be making doe eyes at him for it._

“Sleeping spell.” Loki waved it off, “Why is my brother a child again?”

He was still holding Thor securely and Tony wanted to say something but sometimes, mercifully, his self-preservation kicked in. Tony was attached to all of his limbs and he couldn’t spend another couple of weeks as a house pet for a god no matter how rejuvenating it seemed to be. Mentioning to Loki that for someone who denied his family so vehemently he sure called Thor  _brother_ more often than he called him Thor. That wasn't a path he was going to venture down.

“A call came in. Some random crazy was destroying shit in Brooklyn. We were the only two available. Thor managed to piss off said crazy, was hit by what looked like a purple burst of magic and then I found myself babysitting a mini Thunder God. Kid has a fuckton of energy. It might be the death of me. I have no idea how people have more than one child if they have a fraction of Thor's energy.”

Loki closed his eyes and released a frustrated, aggravated sound. His hold never faltered and Tony’s mind whirled with far too many tempting thoughts.

“I can watch him if you—”

He watched as Loki actually tensed and then twisted, using his body to shield Thor, before he seemed to realize what he’d done automatically and that Tony wasn’t a threat. It actually hurt and Tony shoved the feeling away. It was clearly an instinct, a sibling instinct, nestled deep in Loki's very core from countless centuries of being around Thor. Seconds passed before Loki’s eyes darted to him as though to make sure Tony hadn’t noticed the instinctive move to shield Thor even though Tony hadn’t made any kind of threat.

Over the years of knowing Thor there had been a lot of Loki stories. Quite a few of them had been Loki using his magic to get them out of some kind of situation or to save Thor’s ass when they were in another Realm. All of Thor’s stories had painted Loki in a good light.

_Thor means nothing to you my ass._

“He’s a rambunctious little guy, isn’t he?” he offered instead of addressing the hunted expression on Loki’s face at his instinctive reaction. Tony was pretty sure his thoughts on the situation had probably been plain as day on his face. “You know I have always wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a sibling.” It was a silent admission and one he hadn’t made out loud before. He’d often wondered what it would be like to have someone else, someone who was _his_ in a way no one else could be, that he could share his childhood with. Someone who would be there for him and that he could count on.

Another genius kid who knew exactly what he was going through, who understood and who he could bond with over their creations or possibly a sibling who was opposite to him that he could get into the mischief he’d only ever heard about from others with siblings.

Rhodey was as close as he’d gotten to a brother, found family after a childhood of loneliness, but Loki had the real thing and it was currently sleeping unafraid in his arms. The excitement, enthusiasm and unchecked _love_ that Thor had shown for Loki in this younger form had been undeniable. It made something inside Tony twist and ache in a way it hadn’t in years. The older version was a bit more subdued because of the obvious dislike the other Avengers expressed for Loki unless he was talking Tony’s ear off about his brother.

It was because Tony was more than happy to listen to those stories that he heard so many. He was the only one that Thor could talk about Loki to for hours.

“Don’t let those big blue eyes fool you.” Loki murmured after a moment, “My brother is the main reason we ended up in trouble more often than not. I can only imagine the state of the Nine if he’d had Mjolnir earlier.”

“It’s ok to admit you love him, Lo. I’m not going to hold it against you.”

Of course Loki tensed up and green eyes snapped to stare at him in a silent threat to not go down that route. Tony leaned back in his chair, at ease and letting Loki know he wasn’t going to hold it against him just as he’d said with words, as he watched the way Loki stared down at the top of Thor’s head. It actually made him feel a bit less guilty about sleeping with Loki behind everyone's back. He'd already known Loki wasn't pure evil but seeing  _this_ just added another layer to an already complicated and fascinating being.

“I don’t love him.”

It was weak. There was no heat in it, no actual feeling to the point it sounded hollow and empty, and Tony was more than sure it tasted of a bitter lie. For a Lie-smith Loki was a horrible liar when it came to Thor. The very tone, the lack of actual heat, said far more than Loki was probably comfortable with.

Tony had heard countless stories about Loki posing as something and stabbing Thor. He’d heard tales of tricks and mischief, of pranks and competitions, from Thor often. He wasn’t sure _why_ Thor felt comfortable confiding all of those stories to him but Tony welcomed them. They were fantastical tales. The kind of thing found in a fantasy novel and completely out of reach from the realm of reality but they had happened. He could see it in Thor’s eyes that they had happened.

He often wondered what it would be like to have such a long existence filled to the brim with countless tales of adventure and near misses. Tony was limited to the years a mortal existence afforded him but it was fun to dream.

“Did you really turn into a snake so you could pop up and stab him?”

Loki’s lips twitched with amusement and his eyes lit with the pleasure of a successful prank. It seemed that it didn’t matter how much time had passed. He would still relish a successful bout of mischief.

_God of Mischief is right. They had your number right from the start, didn’t they Maleficent?_

“He _is_ safe here if you need to look into it.” Tony continued. The expression on Loki’s face had been answer enough. “I won’t let him blow anything up.” That might be a lie. Ok. It was totally a lie but Loki didn’t need to know that. Tony was really sure that little Thor would _love_ to blow things up. What kid didn’t like explosions? He doubted that a little god was going to be any different.

If nothing else the training floor offered all kinds of training weapons, non-lethal of course, that he could let Thor play with. He could see what kind of training Asgard had already put the mini god through.

“I know he is.” The admission might have cost Loki. Tony didn’t call him on it and Loki didn’t say anything else. In Loki’s arms Thor sighed in his sleep and his little fingers curled in the fabric of Loki’s outer coat. They both stared when Thor mumbled something and shifted in Loki’s hold. “I wouldn’t trust another with him.”

_Nope. Don’t go there Tony. Just don’t. Meaningless sex. It’s meaningless sex. No strings attached. You can't afford to get attached. Your damn heart is already damaged enough._

* * *

Thor had stayed a tiny whirlwind of destruction and verve for a week. It was a week of Loki disappearing, chasing down leads and appearing back to the same kind of enthusiastic greeting. More often than not Thor end up passing out on him in some manner and Tony would catch a reluctantly fond expression on his face, fingers idly carding through blond hair, before Loki would pretend as though it had never happened.

There were many things that Tony had learned during the week he’d been promoted to tiny Prince of Asgard wrangling duty. Thor was a very, very tactile child and he didn’t have any kind of sense of personal space. Tony had lost track of the number of times he’d woken up with a tiny god dozing on top of him as though Tony was a giant pillow. It was clear that after he’d been put into an actual bed that Thor hadn’t stayed put for long.

Every single time Tony asked and pointed out that he was basically a stranger Thor would merely shrug it off with _You're Loki’s_ as though it explained why Thor had latched himself onto Tony effortlessly.

Explaining that he was a person and therefore didn’t belong to _anyone_ didn’t seem to faze Thor.

At all.

“Must you let him blow things up?” Loki took in the mess that the two of them were with a kind of exasperation that made Tony want to stick his tongue out in a truly childish display.

Tony didn’t bother moving from the spot he’d sprawled out on. On top of him, drooling on his shirt, Thor slept the sleep of a kid who had spent hours blowing things up in the R&D labs and hours of letting lose little bolts of lightning that apparently wore him out quicker than anything. It probably helped that that morning he’d spent two hours sparring with Tony in the training room.

He was sure were bruises all over him from hits he hadn’t been able to block but, thankfully, Thor knew how to moderate his strength so he didn’t actually damage Tony. At this point, after seven days, it felt as though he was in the process of getting used to getting his ass handed to him. Yesterday and today Tony hadn’t even feel a single ache after hours and hours of Thor.

In fact he’d felt ridiculously energized. Maybe being overly exposed to so much energy rubbed off on him?

Tony shrugged as best he could with a tiny god using him as a pillow. Again.

“I can’t take him on _quests_ or to fight _monsters_ but I can put that energy to good use. Besides it’s free product testing and there are only so many times I can get hit by a training rod in the gym before I’m completely black and blue. I think I’m building up immunity to the pain because I can’t feel a thing and I’m strong enough to admit he handed my ass to me.”

Loki held out a vial of something that seemed to glow and looked like a science experiment gone wrong. Tony sure as fuck wouldn’t drink _that_. “This will restore him.” the look in his eyes was almost melancholy.

“He can stay like this a few more days if you—”

Tony could see how it tempted Loki but he looked away. “He isn’t safe like this.”

_Looks like you’re not as evil as you want everyone else to believe, Reindeer Games. Pretty damn sure you’ve got a heart in there._

It wasn’t as though he hadn’t noticed before. There were plenty of times that Loki could have easily, effortlessly, wiped them off the map but he never seemed to put everything into it. No matter how he snarled and raged. The only thing Loki seemed to be doing was causing mischief and chaos aside from that initial attempt at world domination. Casualties were nonexistent, though property damage wasn’t and Tony was waiting for Fury to blow some kind of gasket, whenever Loki popped up. It really brought that whole first visit to Earth under question. At least in Tony's mind.

On top of that Loki had plenty of opportunities that he could have exposed the secret fuck-enemies relationship they had in such a way that Tony was sure he would suffer some kind of fallout and possibly find himself in a Shield cell. It didn’t benefit Loki to keep it to himself. In fact it was perfect blackmail material but there was never even a hint of threat.

The only benefit, aside from mind-bogglingly great sex with a god, was that Loki’s hits during battle never seemed to come as hard as they had before that first rough fuck against the wall in his workshop.

Tony had also noticed, though he had no proof that Loki was behind it, that after particularly rough Avengers calls he would wake up the next day without a single ache or scratch to be found.

“Pikachu?” Tony nudged Thor awake and watched how sleepy blue eyes blinked at him in confusion before they seemed to sharpen on his face. “Lokes is back. Going to say ‘hi’ to your big bro?”

Even if Loki wasn’t going to take Tony’s offer Tony was going to make sure that he got something before Thor took that cure. It seemed to be the only time that Loki allowed Thor the closeness he seemed to crave. In a flash Thor was scrambling up, his elbow jammed Tony in the gut, as he got to his feet and closed the distance without hesitation.

“Brother!” he grabbed his wrist and yanked Loki over towards the TV. That had been an interesting experience re-teaching Thor about technology and how delicate it was so he wouldn’t fry it with electricity or destroy it with his godly strength. “Anthony helped me practice today.”

That was Jarvis’s cue and sure enough the screen flicked on to show footage of Thor using his lightning and the _educational_ sparring experience in the training room that had left Thor crowing in victory. Tony was just grateful that he’d had the foresight to make a room that could withstand quite a bit of Thor’s power on top of using that generated power in a beneficial way.

He looked from the screen to take in Loki’s expression and blinked.

It was longing.

That was the look in Loki’s eyes as he glanced down at Thor as his brother animatedly talked about what was happening on the screen and how he was going to be great warrior. Thor talked of quests and exploring the Nine, gesturing as he spoke of battling monsters together, while Loki offered comments when it was warranted. All the while that same look of longing filled his green eyes and Tony wanted to shake Loki.

Tony leaned back against the couch, watching them, as Loki’s hand tightened on the vial and relaxed. He would bet anything that Loki longed to go back to before everything fell apart. Thor had often, when he’d broken out the Asgardian mead, lamented about how he wished he could go back to what they’d had before that first attempt at a coronation.

 _‘No matter what he’s still my brother. I would give him the throne if I thought it could restore things to how they once were._ ’

“Loki?”

Thor was staring up at him in expectation and curiosity.

“Brother—” Loki’s hand tightened where it hung at his side. Tony could see him struggling with the choice that Tony had offered. He wouldn’t judge him. This was Loki more open and vulnerable then Tony could ever remember him except those few times he’d woken up to see Loki sleeping beside him. One of them might be considered a hero and the other a villain but that didn’t stop the fact that there were so many mistakes that Tony had made over the years and thanks to that experience Tony could easily imagine the temptation this was presenting.

He was pretty sure that despite everything Thor was one of Loki’s biggest weaknesses. No matter how many times they met and fought, no matter how many times Loki tricked and even stabbed Thor, they were still brothers. They were still family even against all of the odds.

If Loki had wanted to kill Thor he’d had plenty of opportunities. All of those openings where he’d merely stabbed Thor, nothing fatal and always leaving injuries that could be walked off by a god, could have easily been chances to finish him because Loki was Thor’s glaringly obvious weakness.

No matter how many times he was stabbed Thor was still quick to offer Loki a chance to come back.

To come _home_.

“Drink this.” Loki held the vial out and Thor’s smaller hand curled around it. Tony watched how Thor stared at it, twisting the bottle this way and that, before looking up at Loki with a scrunched expression.

“Is it one of your potions?” he asked, “Did Mother—?”

“It’s going to remove the curse placed on you.”

“A curse?”

“Yes, brother, a curse.” Loki had drawn himself up to his full height, “It’s important that you drink every single drop.”

“It isn’t going to turn me into a fluffy creature again, is it?” the tone was almost weary as Thor gave Loki a faintly dubious look.

Tony choked on air.

“That was _one_ time.”

_Somehow that makes it worse…_

Thor gave Loki a slightly suspicious look before regarding the vial again. “If it is I know you’ll turn me back.” The tone was confident and invited no disagreement. He pulled the stopper out and tipped the vial back without another thought.

_I let him fuck me semi-regularly and I sure as fuck wouldn’t drink **that** without knowing every little thing about it._

Tony wasn’t going to think about the fact that he’d actually eaten a few things that Loki had given him over the months since they’d started their thing. The apple dumpling Loki had given him the other day when Tony knew he had been looking particularly worn out, pinned beneath a snoring Thor and aching everywhere from sparring with the little god, had been divine. Tony had never had anything that tasted that amazing in his entire life.

As he watched the last drops vanish from the clear tube the vial slipped from Thor’s fingers. Tony saw Thor’s eyes roll back into his head as he lost his hold on consciousness. Loki easily caught him and carried him over to the couch. Fingers idly brushed Thor’s hair away from his forehead and without a word Loki stepped to the side.

Tony moved back, got to his feet and watched as Thor’s body flashed. Lightning seemed to dance along his skin and outside a loud echoing boom of thunder attempted to rattle the windows of his Tower. Then, right before their eyes, Thor started to age. The youth of childhood faded from his face, his body grew and his muscles filled in until the God of Thunder that Tony knew lay on the couch before them.

“Pikachu evolved into Raichu.” 

Loki snorted.

Tony grinned in response. “I _knew_ you were looking up my references.” He couldn’t help the smug look from filling his features. There was something about playing with fire constantly that made him far too bold but Loki seemed to appreciate it to the point that he hadn’t threatened Tony’s life for his mouth in _months_.

The look leveled at him was nothing but pure judgment and Tony offered a cheery smile in response. He still remembered how upon the second time he’d called Loki Maleficent the God of Mischief had delighted in turning into an actual fucking dragon and scaring Tony half to death. Clint had screamed like a little girl over the comms at the sight of a dragon suddenly appearing in Central Park and had demanded that Tony _stop giving Loki ideas he’s fucking crazy enough on his own!_

A few minutes passed and Tony watched as Loki seemed to tense.

“I’m not going to say anything.” He offered after a moment. Tony wasn’t going to use family against someone else. That was something a fucking monster did and he wasn’t a monster. He couldn’t imagine what Fury would do with the information that Loki actually cared about Thor and resolved to keep it to himself.

That was the kind of thing that Fury would happily exploit and Tony didn’t trust that pirate as far as he could throw him without the suit. He certainly wouldn’t trust Fury with a captured Loki and that would be the end goal if Fury decided to use that perceived weakness.

It was more than obvious that Loki was going to say something but a groan from the couch had his mouth snapping shut and the look he gave Tony let him know that Loki would be returning as soon as Thor was gone. A flash of green flared and Tony was alone in the penthouse with Thor who was slowly sitting up, blinking blurry eyes and frowning at nothing in particular.

“You ok there, Thundercat?”

Thor blinked at him. “Wasn’t Loki here?”

Apparently nothing had really changed in that regard. It was more than obvious that Loki was still very much, no matter what happened or how much time passed, Thor’s little brother and one of his first priorities.

“He just beamed out. Probably off to cause mischief and mayhem. You know…the usual.”

Thor’s brow scrunched as he sat up and leaned back against the couch. Blue eyes regarded him silently. Tony shifted on his feet and tried to appear innocent.

“So…what do you remember?”

“Everything.”

 _Fuck_.

The look of longing that Tony had seen in Loki’s eyes was really fucking obvious in Thor’s eyes now. Maybe it was better that he hadn’t been given a sibling? The amount of emotions twisted up in that kind of relationship seemed heavy and consuming.

Thor closed his eyes and Tony could see the weight of lifetimes resting on his shoulders. Silently Tony moved over to the couch, dropped down next to Thor and, after a short pause, moved his hand to Thor’s shoulder.

“Is everything back to normal?”

The sad set to Thor’s mouth said more than words ever could. “Yes.” He looked up and stared out of the huge windows that framed one whole side of the room. “Thank you, Tony.”

“For what?”

“Taking care of me.” Thor’s lips quirked, “You would make a fine father.”

Tony’s body jerked at the words, mind flashing against his will to Harley giving him cheek as they worked on an engine and Peter giving him a look that had more meaning behind it then Tony could possibly deserve, as Thor looked at him. “I would make a terrible father, Sparky.”

He’d had two really shitty examples and Tony wasn’t sure that Jarvis’s influence could possibly overcome that fact.

“You would be a good father.” Thor said it as though it was a fact. “Thank you for trusting Loki and letting him help.” Tony ignored the _knowing_ look that had appeared. He also completely ignored the memory of mini Thor’s question from that first day. That was just the kind of nosy question a kid asked and maybe he should have listened to Loki's response.

“I’m a genius but I know fuck all about magic and he’s your brother. I figured you’d be fine.”

Thor stood easily, clapped a hand on Tony’s shoulder, and Tony took a moment to thank magic, or Loki, for making sure Thor’s clothing grew with him. Tony would have no doubt appreciated the sight, those fucking arms attested to that and he was more than sure whatever was under the armor was just as magnificent, but the chances of Loki letting him keep his eyes was pretty slim when factoring in a naked Thor.

There were lines a person didn’t cross when siblings were involved.

He received another _thank you_ before Thor bid him goodbye and started towards the elevator with the intent of changing into normal adult clothing. Tony let himself sink back into the couch, a soft sigh escaping, as his eyes closed and he listened for the sound of Thor getting whisked away.

“I always knew that Loki would choose his Consort well.”

Tony’s eyes snapped open and his head whipped around. Thor was grinning cheekily at him from the elevator as the doors closed and left him with the last word. They might not be related but that mischievous grin spoke of centuries of Loki’s influence.

**Author's Note:**

> So that's what happened. You can all blame my YT adventure and my inability to keep my focus on ideas I'm already writing for this fic. Whether that is a good blaming or a bad one I'll have to see. I was going to try to work in more explicit FrostIron in this one but it didn't fit and I decided to go a slightly more subtle way with it. Hopefully I wasn't too subtle and I'm curious if anyone noticed what I sneaked in there. 
> 
> I really didn't have much of a plan for this one. Mostly it was me writing whatever came into my head while listening to the song I mentioned above and hoping for the best. I also wanted to write an adoring little Thor unexpectedly stirring up Loki's protective instincts.
> 
> One of my favorite things in the Thor movies is the Thor/Loki dynamic. It's also funny, to me, that for someone who denies any kind of sibling relationship to Thor it's impossible to ignore the fact that Loki calls him brother frequently. To me there isn't even a question: if it comes to it they're going to save the other. They _love_ each other. They're brothers no matter blood or race. They're going to choose each other no matter how they fight, bicker or stab each other in non-fatal ways.
> 
> I hope you all liked this one. I'm still working out writing Loki and attempting FrostIron. Let me know what you thought!
> 
>  
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://the-winter-writer.tumblr.com)


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